Meet the 3 Women IAS Officers Steering Uttar Pradesh’s Revenue Department: Archana Agrawal, Aparna U and Kanchan Verma
Lucknow: In a significant reflection of the Uttar Pradesh government’s growing confidence in women leadership, three senior women IAS officers now occupy the most influential positions in the state’s Revenue Department. Responsible for land administration, revenue collection, land records management, dispute resolution, and implementation of key government policies, the department is widely regarded as one of the pillars of governance in India’s most populous state.
Today, the department’s leadership structure is being shaped by three accomplished officers—Archana Agrawal, Aparna U, and Kanchan Verma. Together, they hold the top positions within the revenue administration system and are entrusted with managing a department that directly impacts millions of citizens across Uttar Pradesh.
What makes the development particularly interesting is that two of the three officers, Archana Agrawal and Aparna U, trace their roots to Andhra Pradesh, while Kanchan Verma belongs to Uttar Pradesh. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all three have built distinguished careers marked by administrative excellence, policy leadership, and impactful governance initiatives.
Their appointments come at a time when Uttar Pradesh is pursuing major reforms in land management, digitisation of records, dispute resolution mechanisms, and public service delivery. With decades of administrative experience between them, the trio is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of revenue governance in the state.
Archana Agrawal: Heading the Revenue Board at a Critical Juncture
At the apex of Uttar Pradesh’s revenue administration stands Archana Agrawal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who was recently appointed Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Board.
The position is among the most influential roles in the state’s administrative structure, carrying responsibility for oversight of revenue courts, land administration policies, revenue dispute adjudication, and coordination of the state’s vast revenue machinery.
Before taking charge of the Revenue Board, Agrawal was serving as:
Additional Chief Secretary, Transport Department
Chairperson, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC)
Her appointment is widely viewed as recognition of a career spanning more than three decades in public administration.
Academic Background and Early Life
Born on October 9, 1966, Archana Agrawal hails from Andhra Pradesh.
She possesses a strong academic foundation, holding:
Bachelor’s Degree in History
Master’s Degree in Political Science
MBA in Financial Management from IGNOU
Her educational background combines humanities, governance, and financial management—skills that have proven valuable throughout her administrative career.
Distinguished Career Across Uttar Pradesh
Since joining the Indian Administrative Service in August 1990, Agrawal has served in a variety of field and policy-level assignments.
Her district-level responsibilities included:
Joint Magistrate, Bareilly
Joint Magistrate, Aligarh
Chief Development Officer, Ayodhya
Chief Development Officer, Agra
Chief Development Officer, Mainpuri
District Magistrate and Collector, Sultanpur
District Magistrate and Collector, Aligarh
Divisional Commissioner, Varanasi
Divisional Commissioner, Saharanpur
These assignments provided extensive experience in grassroots governance, rural development, law and order management, and public administration.
Key Leadership Positions
At the state level, Agrawal handled several important assignments, including:
Chief Executive Officer, Greater Noida
Transport Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh
Principal Secretary, Milk Development Department
Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies
Her work across infrastructure, transport, urban development, and public distribution systems helped establish her reputation as a versatile administrator.
Nearly a Decade at the Centre
One of the defining phases of her career came during her central deputation.
From February 2016 to October 2025, she served in the Government of India, holding key positions such as:
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power
Member Secretary, National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB)
Her performance at NCRPB earned significant recognition, eventually leading to an upgradation of the post she occupied to the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.
Following her return to Uttar Pradesh in October 2025, she was entrusted with the Transport Department before being elevated to head the Revenue Board.
Agrawal is scheduled to retire from service on October 31, 2026, making her current assignment one of the final and most prestigious chapters of her administrative journey.
Aparna U: Driving Policy and Administration as Principal Secretary
The second pillar of the department’s leadership structure is Aparna U, a 2001-batch IAS officer who currently serves as Principal Secretary, Revenue Department.
Since assuming charge in January 2026, she has been responsible for overseeing policy formulation, departmental administration, land governance reforms, and coordination across revenue-related institutions.
Educational Background
Born on November 10, 1975, in Hyderabad, Aparna U holds a degree in Law (LL.B.).
She is proficient in:
English
Hindi
Telugu
Her legal training provides a valuable advantage in a department where land laws, regulatory frameworks, and dispute resolution play a central role.
Broad Administrative Experience
Over more than two decades in public service, Aparna U has handled a wide range of assignments, including:
Joint Magistrate
District Collector
District Magistrate
Secretary to Government
Managing Director
Additional Commissioner
Her experience spans district administration, infrastructure management, public utilities, healthcare, irrigation, and governance reforms.
Inter-Cadre Deputation to Andhra Pradesh
Between 2015 and 2017, she served on inter-cadre deputation in Andhra Pradesh.
During this period, she worked as:
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC)
The assignment provided exposure to skill development policies, workforce planning, and capacity-building initiatives.
She later returned to Uttar Pradesh on personal grounds and resumed her career in the state cadre.
Leadership Across Key Departments
After returning, Aparna U occupied several influential positions, including:
Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL)
Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department
Secretary, Medical Education Department
Director General, Medical Education
Her tenure in these departments involved overseeing large public systems, infrastructure projects, and institutional reforms.
In January 2026, she was appointed Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, placing her at the centre of one of the state’s most important administrative ecosystems.
Kanchan Verma: The Revenue Board’s Administrative Strategist
The third member of the leadership trio is Kanchan Verma, a 2005-batch IAS officer currently serving as Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue Board.
She has held the position since September 16, 2025, and plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Revenue Board.
Academic Credentials and Early Life
Born on September 3, 1977, in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, Verma holds:
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
Master’s Degree in Sociology
Her academic background has contributed to a governance approach that often emphasizes social development, community participation, and grassroots engagement.
Extensive District-Level Experience
Throughout her career, Verma has served as District Magistrate in several districts, including:
Balrampur
Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi)
Shravasti
Mirzapur
Fatehpur
She began her administrative journey as Joint Magistrate in Sitapur and later served as Chief Development Officer in Gautam Buddha Nagar.
These assignments gave her substantial experience in rural administration, development planning, welfare implementation, and local governance.
Important State-Level Assignments
Apart from district administration, Verma has handled a number of strategic positions, including:
Special Secretary, Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation
Special Secretary in various government departments
Vice-Chairperson, Ghaziabad Development Authority
Director General, School Education, Uttar Pradesh
Her diverse administrative experience has made her one of the state’s most respected officers.
Award-Winning Governance Initiatives
Kanchan Verma is perhaps best known for her innovative work in environmental conservation and public administration.
One of her most celebrated achievements came during her tenure as District Magistrate of Fatehpur, where she led the revival of the long-neglected Sasur Khaderi-2 River and Thithora Lake.
The initiative helped restore irrigation facilities, improve water availability, and create livelihood opportunities for local communities.
Her efforts earned national and international recognition, including:
Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2013–14)
Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) International Innovation Award (2016)
As District Magistrate of Mirzapur, she also spearheaded reforms in education and sanitation, personally monitoring schools and accelerating efforts to improve cleanliness and public health outcomes.
Women Leading One of Uttar Pradesh’s Most Powerful Departments
The Revenue Department occupies a uniquely important place in Uttar Pradesh’s governance framework.
Its responsibilities extend far beyond revenue collection. The department oversees:
Land administration
Revenue courts
Land records management
Land acquisition
Mutation processes
Property-related dispute resolution
Policy implementation relating to land and revenue matters
With Archana Agrawal heading the Revenue Board, Aparna U serving as Principal Secretary, and Kanchan Verma functioning as Commissioner and Secretary of the Board, the department’s highest decision-making positions are now held by women officers.
Adding further strength to the leadership structure is Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch IAS officer who was recently posted as Special Secretary in the department.
Together, these appointments reflect a broader administrative trend in Uttar Pradesh, where experienced women officers are increasingly being entrusted with strategic governance roles.
As Uttar Pradesh continues to modernise land administration, digitise records, improve dispute resolution systems, and strengthen service delivery, the leadership of Archana Agrawal, Aparna U, and Kanchan Verma is expected to play a defining role in shaping the department’s future. Their combined experience, administrative depth, and proven track record make them one of the most influential leadership teams currently serving in the state’s bureaucracy.
